It’s summer time! The kids are getting out of school, and a day trip (or longer!) to Disney World may be on your summer schedule. Perhaps you typically start a Disney day by hitting up your favorites attraction at your park of choice. But did you know that Disney World is also a terrific place to grab the most important meal of the day? Today we’re going to take a look at a wide variety of breakfast experiences and cuisine for every budget. After all, if you’re going to be in the parks all day, you’ll need some major fuel!

Table Service restaurants provide a relaxed atmosphere before the start of a busy park day, and one of my very favorites is at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Just a monorail ride away from Magic Kingdom, the Polynesian is home to Kona Café. The name alone tells you it’s a great place for coffee (they serve a French Press Pot of 100% Kona Coffee for two), but unique items such as the popular Tonga Toast (sourdough French Toast stuffed with banana and rolled in cinnamon and sugar) and Macadamia-Pineapple Pancakes provide a yummy and decadent way to start the day.

Of course, if you're hoping to hit the rides right away (and who could blame you?), there are plenty of quick breakfast options within the parks as well. Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie is located in Epcot’s France Pavilion. Though the rest of World Showcase is closed until 11 am, Les Halles opens at 9 am. This is great news for early risers, since this location boasts a huge selection of both sweet and savory bakery items at a very reasonable price. My personal favorite is the mildy sweet Frangipane - a simple but delicious buttery croissant filled with an almond frangipane filling. But the savory "Roule Lard & Fromage" (bacon and cheese roll) is nothing to sneeze at, either. These two, however, barely scratch the surface of this bakery stuffed-to-the-brim with goodness. If you stop by, I promise you will find something that catches your eye and tempts your tummy, no matter the time of day.

You may be surprised by my Counter Service breakfast choice at Disney’s Animal Kingdom: Pizzafari! As you can gather by the name, Pizzafari serves up pizza for lunch and dinner, and that’s definitely what it is most known for (along with some fantastic wall art). However, Pizzafari also offers a surprisingly unique breakfast menu with delicious items like a Breakfast Croissant filled with egg whites and topped with Provolone cheese, spinach, and a vegetable chutney, while the Ancient Hot Grain Cereal combines oatmeal with barley and quinoa for a healthy choice that's also quite filling.

Last but not least, many people will be happy to know that Starbucks will be available in each of the four Disney World parks by this summer! You can already find Starbucks in Magic Kingdom at the Main Street Bakery , in Epcot at Fountain View, and Hollywood Studios at The Trolley Car Cafe. Animal Kingdom will open its Starbucks location sometime this summer, possibly by mid-June.

Meals with “Character”

If you like your meals with plenty of photo opportunities, why not splurge on a Character Breakfast? Many people like this option not only because you can leave happily full (most character breakfasts are all-you-care-to-eat), but also because of the time it saves later in the day in the parks — no need to wait in line for a picture with Winnie the Pooh if you’ve already met him (and plenty of his friends) over breakfast at the Crystal Palace! Perhaps your little princess would like to start the day with the Disney Princesses? Akershus Royal Banquet Hall at Epcot and Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella’s Royal Table will be your top choices.

The Grand Floridian’s 1900 Park Fare “Supercalifragilistic Breakfast” features some terrific but lesser-seen characters such as Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland (the Mad Hatter sometimes makes an appearance, too!). Chef Mickey’s at the Contemporary Resort is one of the places you can start the day with the Big Cheese (Mickey himself!) and the rest of the Fab Five. All told there are currently nine Character Breakfasts at Disney World featuring many different characters for a variety of ages and interests. Don't forget to bring your camera (and autograph books for the little ones)!

Buffets to Start the Day

Of course, character meals may not be for everyone (though I’ve been known to enjoy many as an adult!). But perhaps you still like the idea of an all-you-care-to-eat option. We love Boma at Animal Kingdom Lodge; there are plenty of traditional American breakfast items like pastries, breakfast potatoes, and a Create-Your-Own Omelet Station. But several dishes reflect the African theme of the Lodge, such as Bobotie (similar to a meat-filled crustless quiche), Pap (similar to grits) and Chakalaka (a tomato stew).

Even with all these options, this list only scratches the surface. There is a huge variety of breakfast options you can enjoy all over Disney World. No matter where you choose to start your day, here's hoping it's a magical one!

AJ Wolfe is the owner and executive editor of The Disney Food Blog, a website covering all things food and drink in Walt Disney theme parks, resorts, and cruise ships. Check out the updated edition of her best-selling e-Book -- The DFB Guide to Walt Disney World® Dining 2015 -- for in-depth advice on Disney World dining! The Disney Food Blog is not affiliated with the Walt Disney Company.